Giraffe Manor
It feels strange after such a long time to be writing about travel. Three years ago when I had my second child, my plan was to take a year off to be with him, but one year turned into two, and just as I was starting to work again, Covid hit, and a year’s worth of interesting projects on three different continents were cancelled. (And rightfully so.)
After receiving my vaccines in March and April, I warmed up to the idea of travel again, and after countless hours of research, decided that it would be reasonably safe to travel to Kenya with my daughter, who turns 9 in a few days. For the record, the Covid situation there (case load, deaths, safety precautions, climate, etc.) is light years better than it is in the United States.
Normally I don’t take my children on trips like this because I’m focused on my work and the daily schedule can be difficult, but after a year of Covid restrictions, I imagined it would be therapeutic for her to get out and experience something new. Thus, unlike other trips in the past, I tried hard to plan activities that would be fun, engaging, and educational for kids, while still having some opportunities for me to generate some new portfolio imagery.
The first stop on our Kenyan adventure was a stay at Giraffe Manor in Nairobi. Normally it is impossible to get a reservation there, but due to Covid, there was a single room available, and we booked it!
From the minute we arrived, we understood precisely why they are booked years in advance. The property was utterly charming, the staff were kind and attentive, the food was first-rate, and the GIRAFFES!
For us, the first interactive experience with the giraffes was at Afternoon Tea and as we arrived late morning, we sat down on the tall swing to pass the time, not even realizing that they were roaming beside us.
A hotel guest generously took this video of Karson and I on the swing from her balcony.
We had “high tea” with the giraffes in the afternoon, chaperoned by the hotel staff. They kept everyone safe, including the animals, and helped take photos of us as we were feeding them. Although I am more accustomed to being behind the camera, it was nice to experience it from the other side! (Photos of me were taken by hotel staff.)
Early the next morning, we awoke to giraffes, ready for their breakfast! It was one of the most unusual and amazing experiences of my life to get out of bed, walk out to the balcony in my bathrobe, and feed giraffes their breakfast!
The hotel and experience were truly special. It ties for first place in my book with Jade Mountain, where my husband and I eloped. Here are a couple more photos with the giraffes.
